The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-12-14
A RAID INTO FLORIDA.
SOMETHING ABOUT JEKYL ISLAND
AND IT'S FAMOUS CLUB HOUSE.

DOlnBS OF Inc Amateur PrOprleCOrS-A
Paradise for Deer, Turkeys and Quail
Rough Weather and Heavy Sea-
Old Dungeness - Fernandina Its
Origin--The Embargo Rapid Growth
Prosperity - Egmont Hotel - They
Take the Morning News-Population
Commerce of the Port - Lumber
and Marine Statistics-A New Depar-
ture - Overthrow of Negro Rule -
Electric Lights and Water Works
Fernandna as Winter Resort - A
Glimpse at Jacksonville-The Orange
Crop, Etc, Etc.
Your correspondent left Brunswick for
Fernandina on the staunch steamer City of
Brunswick, after most pleasant sojourn
with mine host of the Ocean Hotel, Mr.. j.
r. Latimer, who tries to leave nothing I'M
done for the comfort of his guests. . No fear
that the GRIND Oglethorpe, when COM
pleted, will ever overshadow this popular
hostelry, so long as its genial proprietor re-
mains at the helm. In fact, the experience
Of Florida has demonstrated that the pros
sperity of town depends no little upon the
number and extent of its hotel accommo-
dations. Judging by this, every house of
entertainment in the city will be benefited
by the diversion of tourist travel to Bruins
wick upon the opening of the Oglethorpe
House.
JEKYL ISLAND.
On the morning of the boats departure,
a regular London fog, opaque and almost as
black as Egyptian darkness, had settled
H. all H., Ill r. c
The steamer literally crept along, feeling its
way through the numerous ships and river
craft, until reaching the landing on Jekyl
Island. Here the mist having lifted slight
ly, we had dim and unsatisfactory view
of the
FAMOUS CLUB HOUSE
and its elegant surroundings. The reader
is aware that a year or two ago wealthy
Northern syndicate, of which Mr.. Wander
bilt is a member, purchased the whole island
outright for large sum, and resolved to
convert it into game preserve and South
ern winter resort. To this end they have
erected an expensive and imposing club
house, and set apart building sites
for each shareholder, to be i'm
proved according to his individual taste.
Steps to do this have already been taken,
and doubtless quite a number of lovely
villas will soon be completed. Broad ave
process of construction, the company using
its own steam tug and barges to transport
the oyster shells from the coast.
In accordance, too, with the original
plan, all the cattle, sheep and swine have
been removed from the island, and it is
now stocked with deer, wild turkeys and
partridgss, alone. 1t is asserted on the
authority of the Advertiser and Appeal,
that one thousand antlered sons of the for
est, including their does and fawns, now
roam at large unmolested by
hunters from the main, and an agent
is actually canvassing Northern Florida
and South Georgia in quest of live quails to
be turned loose on the island. He adver-
tises to pay 81 so per dozen for these birds,
and will doubtless secure any number of
them. With a view to their support and
propagation, fields have been cleared and
sown in grain. The island also swarms with
ducks and other water fowls, which enjoy
perfect immunity, save from the guns of
the amateur proprietors during the hunting
season.
As the boat glided along through Jebyl
river it passed a little cove into which a
chain of ponds debouched from the interior
of the island. With the naked eye hun
dreds of ducks could be seen feeding upon
their surface. This enterprise, besides giving
new impetus to the value of real estate,
will bring thousands of dollars to the city
of Brunswick by the purchase of supplies,
and adding to its attractions as a winter
resort.
ROUGH WEATHER.
A stiff breeze and chopping sea made
things rather lively in st. Andrews sound,
which has the name of being the most
dangerous portion of the South Atlantic
coast. But we passed over in safety, and
after touching few moments at
HISTORICAL, DITNGENESS
and admiring the palatial residence recently
erected there reached Fernandina without
accident or adventure.
This was an ancient Spanish town and
grew to be place Of considerable import
acne during the existence of the
FAMOUS EMBARGO
which preceded the second war with En-
gland. A large feet of United State gun
boats sought in vain to prevent communica-
ton with Florida, then a province Of Spain,
and Fernandina with her deep water and
magnificent harbor was the favorite resort
of the smuggler and blockade runner.
When peace was restored the place
dwindled again, and was a mere struggling
village before the completion of
the railroad to Cedar Keys. Now
SPLENDID BLOCKS
of brick buildings aud many elegant stores
and hoGses greet the eye of the visitor
A first-class hotel also, the Egmont, Samuel
I. Riddle proprietor, offers delightful ac-
commodations to the public, and this enter
prise has contributedas much, or more than
any other, to the growth and reputation of
the city. The MORNING NEWS has strong
foothold here, and stands side by side with
its creditable contemporaries from the
adjacent city of Jacksonville. Indeed,
all the merchants admit that as a
mercantile and news journal it has no su-
perior in the South, and are outspoken on
the subject. Among the new additions to
the list OF subscribers are Whitner g. Schuy-
Ter, who conduct first-class family grocery
store; j. q. T. Kydd, whose dry goods
establishment is one of the largest and most
complete in the city; George A. Latham and
Albert Glaiber, dealers ilr fine imported and
domestic liquors, cigars, ETC., George G.
Dixon, beef market and green grocer; +. A.
Costa, who runs a general store in Old Fer
nandina; j. d. Lowe, confectioner and fruit
dealer, and others.
Fernandina boasts a good newspaper,
bank, and several fine warehouses It's
population is about 1000
COMMERCE OF THE PORT.
The lumber business of Fernandina has in
creased fully 25 per cent in the last six
months. From the obliging custom house
officials we learn that no less than II, 500, 900
of feet of timber Of various classes were
shipped during the last month alone, Of
which 2,630,000 feet went to foreign, and